Method and installation for folding a textile strip length, in particular a strip length for a label

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for folding a textile strip length, in particular a strip length for a label. According to said method, the strip length ( 8 ) is first held close to an auxiliary folding edge ( 62 ) which lies in a parallel direction to the definitive folding edge ( 96 ) and a section of the strip ( 64 ) is then folded around the auxiliary folding edge ( 62 ), in a substantially perpendicular direction in relation to the plane of the strip length ( 8 ). The definitive fold ( 94 ) is then formed and the latter is smoothed out and fixed in position by being clamped between two clamping surfaces ( 92, 98 ). To improve the installation and the folding of the strip length ( 8 ) during the formation of the definitive fold ( 94 ), the end of the strip section ( 64 ) that is folded around the auxiliary folding edge ( 62 ) is grasped and said strip section ( 64 ) is compressed against a clamping surface ( 92 ) of a clamping element ( 74 ), positioned in a substantially coplanar direction in relation to the plane of the strip length ( 8 ), whilst the definitive fold ( 94 ) is being formed. The folded strip section ( 64 ) which lies substantially on the plane of the strip length ( 8 ) is then smoothed out and fixed in position between the clamping surfaces ( 92, 98 ), which are arranged substantially on the plane of the strip length.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a method for folding a textile striplength, in particular a strip length for a label, according to thepreamble of claim 1 and to an installation for carrying out the methodaccording to the preamble of claim 2.

PRIOR ART

[0002] Methods and installations of the type mentioned at the beginningare known, for example from IT-1 268 836 B. In the method describedthere and the installation for carrying it out, a strip length is firstheld firmly close to an auxiliary folding edge which is to be formed andwhose direction is parallel to the definitive folding edge. The part ofthe strip which projects reaches over a gap formed by two clampingelements, the clamping surfaces of which being aligned perpendicular tothe plane of the strip lengths. A flat blade pushes this part of thestrip into the gap, forming a fold, and then has to be withdrawn againbefore the fold formed can be smoothed and fixed by pressing theclamping surfaces against each other. Here, the problem arises that whenthe blade is pulled out, the fold formed is easily changed or evendestroyed. Even when the fold is smoothed and fixed properly, there isthe further disadvantage that this fold around the auxiliary foldingedge is aligned perpendicular to the plane of the strip. By means of thesmoothing and fixing operation, this auxiliary fold is also firstlyfixed, so that in the finally folded strip length the folded parts ofthe strip project at right angles to the plane of the strip lengths,which is undesired and as a rule makes post-processing of the foldedstrip lengths necessary. U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,874 A discloses anothermethod and another installation for folding a textile strip, length, thestrip length firstly being held firmly by means of an L-shaped holdingelement beside a folding edge to be formed. The projecting part of thestrip is firstly folded by means of a folding element at right angles tothe plane of the strip length and then turned over a holding foot of theL-shaped holding element, parallel to the plane of the strip length. Theholding foot of the L-shaped holding element then has to be withdrawnagain before the fold formed is smoothed and fixed by pressing clampingsurfaces, which are aligned parallel to the strip length, against eachother. Although the fold formed already lies in the plane of the striplength, the problem also results here that when the holding foot iswithdrawn, the fold formed can easily be changed or even destroyed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is the object of the invention to improve a method and aninstallation for folding a textile strip length, in particular a striplength for a label, in such a way that the aforementioned disadvantagesno longer occur.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by

[0005] a) a method as claimed in claim 1; and

[0006] b) an installation for carrying it out as claimed in claim 2.

[0007] The fact that the strip part angled over around an auxiliaryfolding edge is gripped and compressed and therefore folded against aclamping surface which is aligned substantially coplanar with the planeof the strip section results in two critical advantages. Since, duringthe compression, the compression tool does not engage in the fold or agap between the clamping elements, it can remain in use until theclamping surfaces have gripped and fixed the folds, so that exactalignment and shaping of the folds is always provided, and slipping isundoubtedly prevented. Furthermore, the clamping surfaces risesubstantially in the plane of the strip length, so that the folded,smoothed and fixed folds of the strip length likewise lie in the planeof the strip length and the auxiliary folded edge is eliminated, so thata satisfactory, flat, folded strip length is produced and post-treatmentis no longer necessary.

[0008] In order to carry out the method, various installations areconceivable. For example, it is possible for support elements, on whichstrip sections rest for processing, to be arranged at rest and forfolding and clamping tools to be moved against the resting support die.However, an installation as claimed in claim 2 is particularlyadvantageous for carrying out the method.

[0009] Advantageous developments of the installation are described inclaims 3 to 21.

[0010] For the folding of the part of the strip projecting beyond thesupport surface of the support element, various possibilities result.For example, the support element can be arranged at rest and the holdingelement, which can be biased, can be biased against the support surface.An appropriate folding element can then be moved along the supportelement in order to turn over the projecting part of the strip againstthe supporting surface. By contrast, a particularly preferred solutionis described by claim 3.

[0011] In addition, diverse possibilities result for the configurationsof the folding element. For example, a spatula can be moved over theauxiliary folding edge of the support element and along the supportingsurface in order to turn the projecting part of the strip over againstthe supporting surface. However, the configuration as claimed in claim 4is particularly advantageous, according to which the folding element hasan oblique run-on surface which, during a relative movement betweensupport element and folding element, turns over a part of the stripwhich projects beyond the support surface around the auxiliary foldingedge and against the supporting surface. In order to permit reliableturnover, the support element and the folding element are biased towardeach other, as claimed in claim 5.

[0012] It is particularly expedient if the folding element as claimed inclaim 6 is also designed as a clamping element, against which the otherclamping element is biased. This biasing can be produced by variousmeans, for example by electromagnetic or fluid-actuated means. However,biasing by means of a spring is particularly advantageous. This alsomakes it easier to raise the clamping element by means of the supportelement, which can be moved in relation thereto.

[0013] Claim 7 describes a very simple solution for biasing the holdingelement against the support element and controlling the holding element.For the control of the clamping element, there are various possibleconfigurations for actuation and control. Claim 8 describes a verysimple mechanical positive sequence for opening and closing the clampingelements.

[0014] According to claim 9, at least one of the clamping elements isprovided with a heating element.

[0015] The configuration of the installation as claimed in claim 10permits continuous operation of the installation. For this purpose, adevelopment as claimed in claim 11 is advantageous. In order to drivethe conveying device, an extremely wide range of materials can be used,for example a stepping motor, a standard motor with limit-switchcontrol, a Maltese-cross drive or the like.

[0016] In principle, it is possible to construct the installation insuch a way that a strip length is provided with a fold only at one end.In the case of labels, however, two folds are desired at the two ends,so that a development of the installation as claimed in claim 12 isadvantageous. In order to be able to set the installation to striplengths of different lengths, one set of tools is arranged such that itcan be displaced relative to the other set, in order to be able to setthe mutual spacing to the desired length of the strip lengths.

[0017] As claimed in claim 13, the installation expediently has adelivery device for the strip lengths to the support element. Such adelivery device is advantageously configured as claimed in claim 14, inorder to supply a continuous strip, from which strip lengths are severedat an appropriate severing device. According to claim 15, the feeddevice can be equipped with a conveying element, in which the lengths ofthe strip lengths to be severed can be set. An installation which isparticularly capable of adaptation results if, as claimed in claim 16,the severing device has both a mechanical cutting device and a thermalcutting device, for example an infrared or ultrasonic cutting device,which can be used as desired.

[0018] The installation as claimed in claim 17 is expediently equippedwith a stacking device for the folded strip lengths, it having proven tobe advantageous as claimed in claim 18 with a magazine, in which thefolded strip lengths can be moved against a displacement resistance andcan be held.

[0019] It is also advantageous that both the method and the installationare suitable for an extremely wide range of folds, for example, not justas claimed in claim 19 for the production of strip lengths with one ortwo end folds but also, as claimed in claim 20, for producing striplengths with a center fold. According to claim 21, even the productionof strip lengths with a diagonal fold is conceivable. This is possiblesince folding is carried out merely by means of a compression operationagainst a flat clamping surface which, moreover, is alignedsubstantially in or parallel to the plane of the strip lengths, so thatfolding can be carried out at any desired point on the strip length andwith any desired alignment of the auxiliary folding edge. This makes itpossible to use only simple tools which, on one and the sameinstallation, can also readily be replaced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in moredetail below using schematic drawings, in which:

[0021]FIG. 1 shows an installation for folding a textile strip length,in particular a strip length for a label in plan view;

[0022]FIG. 2 shows the installation of FIG. 1 in side view;

[0023]FIGS. 3a to 3 c show the folding station of the installationaccording to FIG. 1 in detail, in longitudinal section and in variousoperating positions;

[0024]FIGS. 4a to 4 g show the principle of the folding at the foldingstation according to FIGS. 3a to 3 c in a schematic representation andin various intermediate stages from the insertion of a strip lengthuntil the deposition of the folded strip length;

[0025]FIG. 5 shows an outline of the folding station for producing astrip length with center fold;

[0026]FIG. 6 shows the folding station according to FIG. 5 inlongitudinal section;

[0027]FIG. 7 shows an outline of the folding station for producing astrip length with diagonal fold; and

[0028]FIG. 8 shows the folding station of FIG. 7 in longitudinalsection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029]FIGS. 1 and 2 show a schematic representation of an installationfor folding a textile strip length, in particular a strip length for alabel. The installation includes a delivery device 2, at which striplengths 8 are severed from an endless strip 4 by means of a severingdevice 6 and are fed to a folding station 12 by means of a transferdevice 10. At the folding station 12, the strip lengths 8 are folded atthe ends and the folded strip lengths 8 a are held firmly on clampingtools 14 of a carousel-like conveying device 16, which is rotatablymounted over a shaft 15. The folded strip lengths 8 a are thus conveyedonward from the folding station 12 to an unloading station 18, wherethey are transferred by means of lever arms 20 to a magazine 22 of astacking device 24. The lever arms 20, which are mounted such that theycan rotate about a pivot 26, are actuated by means of an actuator 28 anddischarge the folded strip lengths 8 a to the magazine 22 against adisplacement resistance 30.

[0030] The delivery device 2 contains a feed device 31 with a feed table32, on which an endless strip 4 from a supply roll, not specificallyillustrated, is fed by means of a conveying element 34 to the severingdevice 6 in the desired length of the strip length. The conveyingelement 34 can be, for example, a conveying arm moving to and fro or adriven conveying roll. The strip length to be conveyed is to bedetermined by a sensor 36, which responds to strip marks on the strip 4supplied. In addition, inspection means (not specifically illustrated)for determining strip faults can also be associated with the feed table32. The severing device 6 contains a thermal cutting device 6 a, forexample an infrared or ultrasonic cutting device 6 a, and a mechanicalcutting device 6 b, which can come into use as desired, depending on thematerial characteristics of the strip to be treated. The transfer device10 between the severing device 6 and the folding station 12 has firstly,after the severing device 6, a conveying arm 40 which is driven inoscillation by means of a drive 38, for example a fluid-actuatedpiston/cylinder unit, which arm transfers the strip length 8 from thesevering device 6 to a rail 42. The latter is driven to and fro by meansof an oscillating drive 44 in order to feed the strip length to thefolding station, as emerges from FIG. 4a.

[0031] One half of the folding station is illustrated schematically inFIGS. 3a to 3 c. A second half, which is of identical construction,exists as a mirror image of this, as emerges from 4 a to 4 h. Thefolding station 12 contains a support element 46, which is arranged on acarriage 50 such that it can be pivoted about an axis of rotation 48,said carriage 50 being mounted in the machine frame 52 such that it canbe moved up and down. A bias spring 54 biases the support element 46into the vertical basic position. On the upper side, the support element46 contains a support surface 56, to which the strip length 8 to betreated is transferred by means of the rail 42 and deposited (FIG. 4a).A holding element 60 biased against the support surface 46 by means of aspring 58 holds the strip length 8 firmly on the support element 46(FIG. 4b). The support element 46 also has an auxiliary folding edge 62,which is aligned parallel to the folding edge (96 in FIG. 4g) of thefold to be produced (94 in FIG. 4g) and around which the part 64 of thestrip projecting beyond the support surface can be folded against asupporting surface 66 adjoining the auxiliary folding edge 62 (FIGS. 4cand 4 d). The supporting surface 66 is aligned substantiallyperpendicular to the support surface 56. The support element 46 can bemoved by means of a drive 68 shown in FIG. 2, for example afluid-operated piston/cylinder unit, from the basic position shown inFIGS. 3a and 4 b into the folding position shown in FIGS. 3b and 4 d. Inthe process, the support element 46 comes into contact with the inclinedrun-on surface 70 of a folding element 72, which turns over the part 64of the strip against the supporting surface 66 (FIGS. 3b, 4 c and 4 d).At the same time, a clamping element 74 is raised, which is arrangedabove the folding element 72 such that it can be pivoted and is biasedby means of a spring 76 against the folding element 72 which, at thesame time, is also designed as a clamping element 73. In order to permitthe clamping element 74 to be raised, the holding element 60 is set backwith respect to the auxiliary folding edge 62 of the support element 46,so that the support element 46 can interact with the clamping element 74projecting beyond the holding element 72 or clamping element 73.

[0032] In the folding position shown in FIG. 3b, the holding element 60latches by means of an opening 78 onto a latching pin 80, which isbiased into this latching position by means of a spring 82. The latchingpin 80 can be pulled back from the locking position by means of anactuator 84. The holding element 60 is guided such that it can bedisplaced on a rail 86 by rollers 88, the rail 86 being connected in afixed position to the machine frame 52.

[0033] The definitive formation of a fold is carried out in accordancewith FIGS. 4d to 4 f, as follows. The folding edge 72 has a compressionedge 90 which, as FIG. 4d reveals, co-operates with the end of the part64 of the strip turned over against the supporting surface 66, thesupporting surface 66 biased against the folding element 72 by means ofthe bias spring 54 reinforcing the engagement between the compressionedge 90 and the part 64 of the strip. The support element 46 is thenpulled back into the initial position, the compression edge 90 of thefolding element 72 compressing the projecting part 64 of the stripagainst the clamping surface 92 of the clamping element 74 and, in theprocess, forming the definitive fold 94 with the folding edge 96, whichlies in the plane of the strip length 8 a, as revealed by FIGS. 4e and 4f. In the process, the fold 94 is clamped in between the clampingsurfaces 92 of the clamping element 74 and the clamping surface 98 ofthe folding element 72, which at the same time is also designed as aclamping element 73, said elements being aligned coplanar with the planeof the strip length (FIGS. 4e and 4 f). The clamping element 73 containsa heating element 100, in order to smooth the fold 94 clamped in betweenthe clamping surfaces 92, 98 and to fix it in the turned-over form (FIG.4g). Smoothing and fixing are carried out during the conveying movementof the carousel-like conveying device 16 from the folding station 12 tothe unloading station 18 (FIGS. 4f to 4 h). There, the folded striplength 8 a is transferred into the magazine 22 of, the stacking device24 by means of the lever arms 20 with the clamping elements 73, 74 open.

[0034] In order to be able to set the installation to tape lengths ofdifferent lengths, the installation, as already mentioned, isconstructed from two halves 102, 104, which can be displaced relative toeach other, as indicated by the displacement arrow 106 in FIG. 1.

[0035]FIGS. 5 and 6 show the use of the installation for producing alabel with a center fold. For this purpose, the strip length 8 is placedon the support elements 46, 46 in such a way that the strip length 8rests with about half its length on the auxiliary folding edge 62. Thefolding operation can then be carried out as hitherto, the folding edge96 a of the center fold being located at half the length of the striplengths.

[0036]FIGS. 7 and 8 show the modification of the installation forproducing strip lengths with diagonal folding. To this end, the tools,that is to say the support elements 46 a with the auxiliary foldingedges 62 a, the holding elements 60 a, the folding elements 72 a and theclamping elements 73 a, 74 a are aligned parallel to the diagonalfolding edges 96 b to be produced. The folding operation is thenlikewise carried out again in a manner analogous to FIGS. 4a to 4 h.

List of Designations

[0037] 2 Delivery device 62 Auxiliary, folding edge 4 Strip 62aAuxiliary folding edge 6 Severing device 64 Part of strip 6a Thermalcutting device 66 Supporting surface 6b Mechanical cutting device 68Drive 8 Strip length 70 Run-on surface 8a Folded strip length 72 Foldingelement 8b Folded strip length 72a Folding element 8c Folded striplength 73 Clamping element 10 Transfer device 73a Clamping element 12Folding station 74 Clamping element 14 Clamping tool 74a Clampingelement 15 Shaft 76 Spring 16 Carousel-like conveying 78 Opening device18 Unloading station 80 Latching pin 20 Lever arm 82 Spring 22 Magazine84 Actuator 24 Stacking device 86 Rail 26 Pivot 88 Roll 28 Actuator 90Compression edge 30 Displacement resistance 92 Clamping surface of 74 31Feed device 94 Definitive fold 32 Feed table 96 Folding edge 34Conveying element 96a Folding edge 36 Sensor 96b Folding edge 38 Drive98 Clamping surface of 73 40 Conveying arm 100 Heating element 42 Rail102 Half 44 Drive 104 Half 46 Support element 106 Displacement arrow 46aSupport element 48 Axis of rotation 50 Carriage 52 Machine frame 54 Biasspring 56 Support surface 58 Spring 60 Holding element 60a Holdingelement

1. A method for folding a textile strip length, in particular a striplength for a label, the strip length (8) first being held firmly closeto an auxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a) whose direction is parallel tothe definitive folding edge (96, 96 a, 96 b), and then a part (64) ofthe strip being folded around the auxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a)substantially perpendicular to the plane of the strip length (8) and thedefinitive fold (94) being formed and the latter being smoothed andfixed by being clamped between two clamping surfaces (92, 98),characterized in that, in order to form the definitive fold (94), theend of the part (64) of the strip folded around the auxiliary foldingedge (62, 62 a) is gripped and the part (64 a) of the strip iscompressed against a clamping surface (92) arranged substantiallyco-planar with the plane of the strip length (8) and belonging to aclamping element (74, 74 a) forming the definitive fold (94), and thefolded part (64) of the strip lying substantially in the plane of thestrip length (8, 8 a, 8 b, 8 c) then being smoothed and fixed betweenthe clamping surfaces (92, 98) arranged substantially in the plane ofthe strip length.
 2. An installation for carrying out the method asclaimed in claim 1, comprising: a support element (46, 46 a) for a striplength (8) to be folded, having a support surface (56) aligned parallelto the strip length (8) and having an auxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a)which is aligned parallel to a folding edge (96, 96 a, 96 b) to becreated; a holding element (60, 60 a), co-operating with the supportsurface (56) of the support element (46, 46 a), for the strip length(8); for the strip length (8); a folding element (72, 72 a) for forminga fold (94) of the strip length (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) between clampingsurfaces (92, 98) of two clamping elements (73, 73 a, 74, 74 a) forsmoothing and fixing the fold, characterized in that the clampingsurfaces (92, 98) of the clamping elements (73, 73 a, 74, 74 a) arealigned substantially co-planar with the plane of the strip length (8)to be treated, in addition in that the auxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a)of the support element (46, 46 a) is assigned a supporting surface (66)aligned substantially perpendicular to the support surface (56), and inthat the folding element (72, 72 a) has a compression edge (90) thatco-operates with the supporting surface (66), in order to grip the endof a part (64) of the strip to be turned over against the supportingsurface (66) and to compress the part (64) of the strip against theclamping surface (92) of a clamping element (74, 74 a), forming thedefinitive fold (94) to be produced.
 3. The installation as claimed inclaim 2, characterized in that the support element (46, 46 a), togetherwith the holding element (60, 60 a) that can be biased against thesupport surface (56), can be moved out and in from a holding positionfor a strip length (8) into a holding position.
 4. The installation asclaimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the folding element (72,72 a) has an oblique run-on surface (70) such that, during a relativemovement between support element (46, 46 a) and folding element (72, 72a), the latter turns over a part (64) of the strip projecting beyond thesupport surface (56) around the auxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a) andagainst the supporting surface (66).
 5. The installation as claimed inone of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the support element (46, 46a) and the folding element (72, 72 a) are biased against each other. 6.The installation as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5, characterized inthat the folding element (72, 72 a) is also designed as a clampingelement (73, 73 a), against which the other clamping element (74, 74 a)is preferably biased by means of a spring (76) and can be raised bymeans of the support element (46, 46 a).
 7. The installation as claimedin one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the holding element (60,60 a) is biased against the support element (46, 46 a) by means of abias spring (58) and, as it is moved out by means of the support element(46, 46 a), can be moved into an initial position in which it can belatched by means of a releasable latch (80).
 8. The installation asclaimed in one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the holdingelement (60, 60 a) is set back with respect to the auxiliary foldingedge (62, 62 a) of the support surface (56) of the support element (46,46 a), and the support surface (56) co-operates by means of theauxiliary folding edge (62, 62 a) with the clamping element (74, 74 a)arranged to project beyond the folding element (72, 72 a), in order toraise said clamping element (74, 74 a) off the folding element (72, 72a) as the support element (46, 46 a) is moved out.
 9. The installationas claimed in one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that at least oneof the clamping elements (73, 73 a, 74, 74 a) is provided with a heatingelement (100).
 10. The installation as claimed in one of claims 2 to 9,characterized in that the support element (46, 46 a) and the holdingelement (60, 60 a) are arranged in a stationary manner on a foldingstation (12), and the folding element (72, 72 a) with the clampingelement (74, 74 a) is arranged on a conveying device (16), preferably arotating carrier, which can be moved from the folding station (12) tothe unloading station (18).
 11. The installation as claimed in claim 10,characterized in that the conveying device (16) has a plurality offolding elements (72, 72 a) and clamping elements (74, 74 a) distributedover its length.
 12. The installation as claimed in one of claims 2 to11, characterized in that in order to produce strip lengths (8 a, 8 b, 8c) with two folds, it has a further tool set (102), which is preferablyarranged as a mirror image of the first tool set (104) and such that itcan be set at a distance from the first tool set (104).
 13. Theinstallation as claimed in one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in thata delivery device (2) for the strip lengths (8) is associated with thesupport element (46, 46 a).
 14. The installation as claimed in claim 13,characterized in that the delivery device (2) comprises a feed device(31) for the intermittent feeding of a continuous strip (4) to asevering device (6) in order to sever strip lengths (8) of apre-determinable length, and a transfer device (10) in order to feed thestrip lengths (8) to the support element (46, 46 a) at a folding station(12).
 15. The installation as claimed in claim 14, characterized in thatthe feed device (31) has a conveying element (34) which acts only in theconveying direction and can be set in accordance with the pre-determinedlength of the strip length (8) to be severed.
 16. The installation asclaimed in claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the severing device (6)has a mechanical cutting device (6 b) and a thermal cutting device (6a), which can be used as desired.
 17. The installation as claimed in oneof claims 2 to 16, characterized in that, at an unloading station (18)it has a stacking device (24) for stacking the folded strip lengths (8a).
 18. The installation as claimed in claim 17, characterized in thatthe stacking device (24) has a magazine (22) into which the folded striplengths (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) can be moved against a displacement resistance(30) and can be held.
 19. The installation as claimed in one of claims 2to 18, characterized in that it is designed to produce strip lengths (8a) with an end fold.
 20. The installation as claimed in one of claims 2to 18, characterized in that it is designed to produce strip lengths (8b) with a center fold.
 21. The installation as claimed in one of claims2 to 18, characterized in that it is designed to produce strip lengths(8 c) with a diagonal fold.